


Karaoke and Karma

by Westpass



Category: Justice League (2017)
Genre: Fluff, Humor, Not Beta Read, Post-Justice League (2017), Some angst, Team Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-26 19:07:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15669426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Westpass/pseuds/Westpass
Summary: My first ever JL fic, inspired by firefly_aki and their kind words last monthHope you like it, firefly!





	Karaoke and Karma

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Firefly_Aki](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firefly_Aki/gifts).



Joe's Bar and Grill wasn't as famous as some places in Central City, but Barry preferred it that way.  
He'd come to the place a lot during his freshman year of college, needing someplace to sit that wasn't an overcrowded dorm lounge,  
and food that he could actually identify. He'd learned very quickly at uni that if a food was UNidentifiable, eating it was at  
your own risk.  
They had all-you-can-eat nachos, and homemade cookies some nights. He had more sense than to try to fake his ID. It wasn't like booze would do anything for him, anyway, so why bother? Coffee or hot nonalcoholic cider was just as good.  
The people were friendly, and left him alone to read or eat in a quiet corner if he wanted. He'd played a few card or chess games with the regulars. One of the older gentlemen, a Japanese-American who'd been a soldier in the U.S. Army during WWII, helped him practice speaking Japanese and French.  
Usually he came alone.  
Tonight, of course, was different.  
They'd all (the League) agreed to do a 'team bonding activity' once a month. Each of the members would host a social event in their hometown. They'd drawn names out of a hat, and of course Barry had had to be first.  
He'd stewed over it for almost a full twenty-four hours.  
He didn't think gaming, even LARP, would interest them. Too much like a 'busman's holiday'.  
He had a small, studio sized apartment that looked, as Arthur put it," like a Mad Scientist's Doomsday Hoard on crack." He _really_ had the feeling Victor wouldn't enjoy that at all.  
He so wanted them to have fun, and...well, yes, to be impressed, but when your teammates are a demigoddess, a billionaire, and SUPERMAN, that? Wasn't easy!  
Finally he'd cheated.  
He'd gone to Lois Lane and Alfred Pennyworth for suggestions.  
They'd both said nearly the same thing.  
_"You're overthinking it. They want to get to know you. If they wanted a huge production, they'd look elsewhere. Don't sell yourself so short."_

Lois had shaken her head. _"I know for a fact Clark is almost never comfortable around big, fancy, crowded events. Super-hearing and people talking themselves hoarse, or drinking themselves sick? Not a good combo."_  
So.  
He was ushering Diana inside, the rest of the group trailing behind them, into the bar. It was just past sundown on Tuesday, so not too busy, but not empty either.  
Barry called a greeting over to Mr. Morita when he spotted his language tutor. The man looked up, smiling warmly at him. 

"I didn't know you were multilingual," Bruce said, sounding a little surprised. His expression was thoughtful. 

"Oh, yeah, well," Barry blushed. "I took French and some Japanese in high school, and German, that's all. And Klingon, but that doesn't count. Or at least they won't give me college credit for it."  
He led them over to his usual table.  
Arthur snickered. "I think we've been set up."

Clark followed the Atlantean king's gaze. "Hmm. Might be fun."

Huh? "Ohh--" Right. Karaoke night. Barry facepalmed. 

"Do you sing?" asked Diana, as she took a seat. The others followed her example. 

"Sometimes," Barry confessed.

One of the servers, Kristin, grinned as she passed by. "Don't let him fool you. He's got a really nice voice. He and Iris sing duets sometimes."  
She put a basket of nachos on the table before taking their drink orders. Barry asked for hot cocoa with cinnamon. 

"...you frequent a bar often enough that they recognize you, but you don't drink?" Victor queried.

"Hypermetabolism," Barry reminded him. "Alcohol's the same as any drug where that's concerned. There's no point." 

He bit into a nacho. The burst of flavor almost made him moan aloud. Delicious! Party in his mouth, for sure.  
It took a moment for him to notice that everyone else at the stable was staring at him, their expressions varying from concerned to irritated.

"So medicines don't work on you either?" asked Arthur, a frown creasing his forehead. "I didn't realize that. "

"Well, some do, but mild stuff like aspirin or Tums, forget it. Painkillers have to be pretty strong stuff. " Barry fidgeted. "And this is shop talk, not socializing. Can we leave it for now?" 

" 'Kay. " 

Barry looked over at Clark. "I wanted to ask how you got into being a reporter to begin with. Was it what you always wanted to do, or just that--" he gestured. "I dunno. 'Cause of Lois?" 

The Kryptonian chuckled. "No. I was a journalism major in college. I actually like writing stories, ever since I was a kid..." 

They made small talk. Their drinks arrived, along with a plate of cookies...and a microphone.

Bruce was smirking faintly, as was Diana. "I'll go first," she offered. "If you tell us who 'Iris' is."

"No bribes necessary. I've actually kinda been wanting you guys to meet her, she's amazing, but she was out of town this week--"  
Barry broke off, his eyes narrowing dangerously.  
Diana went still, turning quickly to see what had caught his attention.  
Arthur and Clark glanced in the same direction as well.  
"What is it?"

"Wait here." He shoved back his chair roughly and stood. Bruce started to speak, but shut his mouth as Barry 'disappeared'.  
They surveyed the bar, trying to figure out what had alarmed--or angered--their teammate, but nothing seemed out of place.  
Barry 'reappeared' a few seconds later, a half-empty glass of wine in his hand. His expression was hard as he waved the bartender over.

"That guy in the blue suit over there. Mike--I'd swear I just saw him put something in that lady's glass when she got up to sing. You know him?" 

The bartender's eyes turned cold. "Nope. Is this it?" Motioning to the glass Barry held. "--Okay. I'll have Trina bring her a fresh drink on the house, and we'll watch him. Thanks for speaking up. If he pulls any more funny business, we'll call the cops." He took the glass from Barry, and made a beeline back to the drinks station.

Barry sat back down. After a minute, he said, "Someone tried that on a classmate of mine, two years ago. It didn't...no one said anything 'cause they 'didn't want to make a scene'. So she drank, and...she didn't get hurt, but they couldn't do anything about the guy. No proof by the time she figured it out."

He shook himself, and gave them a politely fake smile.

They took turns singing. They even managed to get Bruce onstage doing a passable rendition of "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"by Pat Benatar. 

Barry went last of the League members. He considered, then sang, his voice mellow but clear. 

"...Here and Now  
I promise to love faithfully  
You're all I need...  
Here and Now  
I vow to be one with thee  
You and me  
Your love is all  
I need..."  
He finished, then stepped gracefully off the stage.  
Everyone applauded thunderously. 

"Iris loves Luther Vandross," was all he said, smiling. 

They left just before last call, happy, slightly tipsy in Victor's and Arthur's case, but they'd all had a good time. 

Diana looped her arm through Barry's as they walked to the car. "Thank you for having us." 

"Cool time, bro," Arthur agreed, giving him a thumbs up. 

"Thank _you,_ \--hey, where'd Bruce go?" 

"He said he had an errand to run, he'll see us back at the hotel later. " 

Barry carefully didn't ask any more questions. He knew he could be a bit tactless, but he also knew that when someone as honest as Diana starts evading questions, you might not want the answers.

He didn't ask.  
If a certain troublemaking bar patron wound up having a not so friendly encounter with a 'man dressed like a Bat' later?

He figured that that was okay too.

**Author's Note:**

> My first ever JL fic, inspired by firefly_aki and their kind words last month  
> Hope you like it, firefly!


End file.
